Psychological reasons behind Elderly Enuresis!

For those who still stay unclear about Enuresis – It is what we call bedwetting colloquially. And if you are thinking that Enuresis is a childhood problem, know yourself to be wrong. People across all ages and genders suffer from it. Elderly curse it as much as children! The market is full of incontinence pads for elderly if you look. Adults buy adult nappies too. Sometimes an injury gets attributed to this condition. But what are the chances that you are just a behavioral therapy away from getting rid of it? What are the chances that the condition is just in your mind?

Should you avoid incontinence pads for elderly?

The data does not lie. Around 15-30% of elderly, i.e. above the age of 60, suffer from Urinary Incontinence. Although much of all the cases have been attributed to injuries in and around the urinary tract, there are cases that have been found to be psychosomatic. Psychosomatic cases are those where the thoughts of a person manifests themselves as true illness.

The urination and defecation happen on the basis of feedback mechanism. The bladder becomes full. The nerves around send the signal to the brain. In return, the brain sends signals to the detrusor muscle. Urination happens in this way. But sometimes things go wrong. How?

If a person suffers from injury around the bladder, the nerves and muscles fail to work properly. This leads to incontinence. Sometimes the bladder becomes hyperactive too. This also leads to incontinence. But then there is stress.

Stress is useful in small amounts. But the normal body mechanism gets kicked when stress goes chronic. Have you ever seen a person peeing in fear? That is incontinence. It is not chronic but sudden.

The psychological factor in incontinence!

There are times when the incontinence manifests itself due to fear, anxiety, and thoughts. Pee Shyness is another psychological case.

• The dependency over incontinence pads – Incontinence pads for elderly and adults are a great support. But sometimes people take these pads for granted. They create a sense of dependency over them. This leads to behavioral buildup and the person loses control over their urination. Many have been suggesting for long that you may wear diapers and pads, but try not to urinate in them. Try visiting the bathroom every time. This will rewire your brain-body-brain mechanism and you’ll regain control. So, buy adult nappies, wear them, but do not depend on them. It will also lead to a lack of self-confidence.
• Urge Incontinence – This is a form of incontinence when you feel a strong urge to urinate but fail to control your muscular spasms. This leads to involuntary urination. Sometimes it is the consequence of hyperactive bladder. At other times it is because of neurological disorders. And at further other it is because of a behavioural disorder. The best treatment for this is behavioral therapy and retraining.

Things are related to each other. The body stays healthy when things stay in harmony. One thing getting disrupted leads to the disruption of another. For example, incontinence leads to fear and anxiety and lack of confidence. This further depresses the incontinence. It is a vicious chain that one needs to get over. It is always advised to consult your doctor first to know the underlying cause. Incontinence pads for elderly support the treatment, but when you become dependent on treatment, the condition does improve. Try performing some yoga and meditation alongside the Kegel exercises. Know that kegel exercises should only be done when you suffer from a condition. If you do it even when you are healthy, it leads to problems.